Chapter 133

I smiled. “I’ve made myself clear. We’re not on the same page, so let’s drop it.”

“But you need a boyfriend, right?” Hayden retorted.

“Yes, I do. But I’m not messing around with someone like you. I’ll figure something else out,” I said, noting the darkening of his expression.

I expected him to try to meet me halfway, but I misjudged the situation. He remained silent.

“Goodbye. That was out of line,” I mumbled, spinning around and getting into my car. Driving away, it felt like a flight.

I didn’t pull over until I was certain he couldn’t see me. My heart raced, and I needed several deep breaths to calm down. Regret washed over me—I’d been so impulsive after last night’s drinking.

I could have asked Steve to pretend to be my boyfriend. Involving Hayden was a colossal mistake.

But what's done is done. No use dwelling on it.

Composing myself, I drove to a flower shop, selected a bouquet, and headed to my parents' graves.

Over the years, I only visited for significant events or anniversaries. Lately, however, I’d been dreaming of my childhood, of them. It felt like they missed me, prompting my visit. Arriving at the cemetery, I was surprised to find a bouquet already there. The flowers were wilted, indicating a visit within the last couple of weeks.

It had been over a decade since my parents passed. Besides me, their only surviving daughter, only Matthew and Lindey might remember them.

Could it have been them? But if so, why hadn’t Lindey mentioned it?

I was puzzled, but with everything that had happened between Jace and me, Lindey might have simply forgotten to mention it.

I cleared away the dried flowers and placed my fresh bouquet.

Looking at my parents' faces on the tombstone, my heart ached, but I forced a smile. “Mom, Dad, did you miss me? I’ve been dreaming about you a lot lately. I broke up with Jace. I’m sorry I couldn’t make your, Matthew’s, and Lindey’s wishes come true. But more than the arrangement you set up, I think you’d rather see me happy, right?”

I sat, talking to them about everything. Before I knew it, over an hour had passed, and the sun was high. It was time to go.

As I picked up the wilted flowers to discard them, something caught my eye—they weren’t lilies. They were daisies, small white daisies.

Chapter 133

For all these years with the Johnstons, whenever Matthew, Lindey, Jace, or I visited my parents, we always brought lilies. My mother loved them.

But these were daisies, not lilies. That meant it wasn’t them.

So, who?

My confusion deepened. Could it have been an old friend paying respects?

I quickly dismissed that. Matthew and Lindey chose this cemetery, and no other relatives or friends were present at my parents’ burial.

Even if my parents had friends, they wouldn't know this place.

So, who?

A strange, inexplicable feeling arose. I decided to call Lindey.

“Rea!” Lindey’s cheerful voice answered. “I was just about to call you.” I held back my question. “Lindey, did you need something?”

Chapter 134